Bosses know I have Asperger's but harass me about symptoms
I work at UBREAKIFIX, a place that among other things, fixes iPhones and other electronics. I'm constantly being scolded at work about my lack of documentation / taking notes on work orders, my disorganized work area, and the fact that when I interact with customers, I am "cold" and that I don't "engage" them. In my interview, I mentioned that I have ASD.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that I am federally protected from being fired for things that are a result of having ASD. I do the "meat" of my job quite well. I am excellent with the repairs an have even worked on devices that others have been afraid to work on. Im not so good with the soft skills, but the way I see it, that should not matter. I don't purposely ignore my boss about keeping a clean work area. Its just something I always forget to do. its not important to me so it gets pushed to the back of my mind. even as far back as elementary school i have been messy and disorganized. and also lazy about documentation. as far as engaging customers, I am not rude to them . I just don't wanna hear about their kids or their dog or whatever. tell me what you have that needs fixing so i can get you a price and I can fix it so you'll leave.
Am I federally protected or do i have to work on a change
You are wrong. Your employer is not obligated to understand the workplace issues of every disorder and medical condition in the world. Instead, you have to identify the accommodations you need to have in order to do your job properly, and your medical doctor will have to certify that you need them. Then the company can decide whether your requests are "reasonable" (a big gray area).
The federal ADA does state that your employer needs to make reasonable accommodations to allow you to work. Some examples are: a wheelchair needs a way into the building and public areas such as restrooms; noise protection; a special chair, standing workstation or special kind of computer monitor.
I think that a neat work space, adequate documentation, and courtesy with customers are NOT things you can get excused from. I would say that those are common and understandable basic expectations for an employer to have.
I'm sorry I don't have better news for you, but I'm calling it as I see it.
_________________
A finger in every pie.
But on the other hand if your skill at fixing things is way beyond the norm, many employers will generally cut you some slack. Just try and make your best effort to meet their request. And do not use your Aspie diagnosis as a crutch.
_________________
Author of Practical Preparations for a Coronavirus Pandemic.
A very unique plan. As Dr. Paul Thompson wrote, "This is the very best paper on the virus I have ever seen."
The thing is I DO use it as a crutch. I don't LIKE learning how to communicate. I don't WANT to interact with people. I don't CARE if I fit in. All I care about is that every two weeks, when I look at my bank account, I see a line that says "ACH CREDIT AG TECH REPAIR $795.12". My paycheck. thats it. I can successfully repair iPhones, and samsung phones and computers too. communication is a side dish. what I do is the meat
Your employer has set certain standards for your continued employment. Failure to meet those standards will eventually result in termination of that employment. At which point, when you are being shame-walked through the store to the parking lot, you will have no one to blame but yourself.
Harsh; but true.
_________________
Like what others have said, "It is the duties of the job". You always have the option to find another one, one less stressful. But it is important to find the job while you still have your job. It is more difficult to find employment if you are unemployed or have been fired for not fulfilling the duties of your job.
_________________
Author of Practical Preparations for a Coronavirus Pandemic.
A very unique plan. As Dr. Paul Thompson wrote, "This is the very best paper on the virus I have ever seen."
The whole point of knowing your weaknesses is to exploit them.
_________________
The red lake has been forgotten. A dust devil stuns you long enough to shroud forever those last shards of wisdom. The breeze rocking this forlorn wasteland whispers in your ears, “Não resta mais que uma sombra”.
Depending on how central the skills are, this can be federally protected. Now, previous posters mentioning customer service being central are relevant, and you should be cautious. But still, flat-out illegal bullying happens. I had an ex-boss, knew about my diagnosis, but still out in official documents that all my core skills were "top-notch" but that she disliked elements of my communication with her, like "using big words" and "can be negative" (which, when I drilled down, turned out to literally mean that once I'd researched a tech thing and said it couldn't be done within our software constraints, but then offered two strong workarounds with examples; she actually admitted she couldn't handle hearing a grammatical negation operator in any sentence regardless of context).
She laid me off, but HR said she was in the wrong. Couldn't get my job back because of the specific nature of the contract, but it was illegal harassment and if I'd been salaried I would have been protected. Well, federally protected. FL is a right to work state so in practice the ADA doesn't mean jack.
Agree that you legally can’t do anything about this.
However, I am seeing a solution that perhaps is too close to your face for you to have considered.
Just don’t care. If people ask you to be more warm, say “yes, okay. I see what you mean.” Then go back to your tasks and forget it.
You winding up about this issue is more likely to cause problems for you than simply doing what you can well and letting the rest go.